Chapter 6: Crossing a Line
A white eyebrow rose at the sight that presented itself as the ice captain scanned the hearing room that the meeting was decidedly where the Ministry of Magic had chosen to welcome the ice captain. Seated on a lifted pedestal that was designated for the Head Judge was Cornelius Fudge, dressed in his official wizarding robes, his hat replaced with a rectangular one with a golden ribbon on the back. Off to the side pedestals, was two scribes, quills inked and at the ready to record the conversation that was to take place. Before the pedestal was a single chair, for the accused undoubtably, as rows circled the sides as if to invoke a cliff tactic on the wrongdoer.
Just like the Central 46's Compound within the Underground Assembly Hall. Toshiro noted as wizards and witches alike turned to the ice captain's arrival, all dressed similarly to the Minister, in ebony robes and cap, only with silver ribbons attached to theirs. Surround your unknown prisoner and if your ally cannot see it, you will, and if that couldn't follow through; someone will.
I knew there was a reason that these wizards lasted this long. Sephiroth nodded as Hyorinmaru and their master sent dubious looks, the ice captain seating himself on the accused chair, making the ice captain appear smaller than he actually was.
"Welcome, Captain Hitsugaya Toushirou of the House of Yamamoto." Fudge announced as the ice captain bowed, his manners and stance perfect. "Due to your assistance and transfer into Hogwarts, many have heard your name and have requested to attend the meeting to greet you."
"That much is evident, Minister." Toshiro replied icily, his words cold as several members of the Ministry flinched. Spotting Kingsley and Mr. Weasley among the back, the captain made no indication that he was here for a diplomatic meeting, instead; turned his cold eyes to the Minister.
"Minister Cornelius Fudge, the Head of the Ministry of Magic; do you recall the decree that my grandfather had issued you, two years ago?" The ice captain began, the silence deafening as the Minister nodded, his acknowledgment laced with nervous hesitation.
"Yes." Fudge nodded as he read: "As per the agreement between the Eastern and Western Wizarding Worlds, Toushirou Hitsugaya shall attend Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and in exchange, the prospect of the future interrelations of the two sides will better and enable a capable future in coexistence. However, the approval of Hitsugaya in attending Hogwarts, is only granted with the protection of the heir of Yamamoto; otherwise, relations will be swiftly cut and the Western Wizarding World terminated in reconcile."
"Was the original between my grandfather and Minister Fudge." Toshiro stated, before continuing; ignoring the pointed looks from the members of the Ministry. "However, after the attack of Sirius Black in Hogwarts, I was injured and had been attacked by Dementors as a result of the Ministry's insistence of the coil-sucking entities to be present at the schooling facility."
"Leading to addition of this." Toshiro read aloud as the silence was almost deafening, the only sound the icy voice of the child before them. "As a result of the breach of conditions in the treaty, my grandfather has decreed, in exchange of overlooking this; the Ministry of Magic is to not employ the use of Dementors to do anything other than serve them as guards for Azkaban."
"As they are, Captain Hitsugaya." A woman stated, her blonde locks cut at her jaw, as she spoke; her demeanor similar to McGonagall. "The Ministry regulates the ranks of Dementors under our watch regularly."
"I see." The ice captain recoiled, as he turned to Fudge sharply, his eyes narrowing. But before anyone could react accordingly, a large plume of red smoke enveloped the Hearing Room, as the ice captain faltered back, a strawberry-pink figure shielding him, the wizards and witches doing the same as they soon found their exits locked shut, shouts for an exit and panic ensued.
Then as if someone had pushed a pause button, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of the Ministry of Magic found himself in a deadly silence.
Falling back on the pedestal, the minister steadied himself as he took his bearings, eyes wide as he looked around. Members of the ministry were mid-run, some he was able to recognize in mid-yell of anguish, panic, and fear; others frozen at the sight of the red smoke as if they could not register what they were looking at. Regaining his composure, the minister turned to the accused chair, eyes expectant to fall on a shocked or at least surprised, white-haired child. Only to find the chair enveloped in the smoke, the seated person and chair obscured fully.
After a moment of trepidation, the minister decided. Lifting his brown oak wand, the minister shouted, his voice soft and cautious. "Impervius!"
As per the spell, the plume of ruby smoke dissipated slowly, revealing the sole chair, the seated white-haired captain unseen. Before the minister could react, a cold voice made him freeze, the very hairs on his neck standing on end.
"You have crossed a line, Fudge."
Turning, the minister found his speaker.
The ice captain wore a visible frown, his teal eyes as cold as ever, the white-haired child was carried by a young woman that the Minster of Magic vaguely recognized, her strawberry locks hovering over her sharp jawline as just as icy pale blue orbs did the same over him, the duo of the Tenth Division's scrutiny, completely unnerving the wizard before them. His legs tucked over her arm as she used the other to steady her superior; despite his confident and overall indifference at the appearance level, the pause in time had placed a strain on him, thus leading to his order of her may needing the opportunity to carry him much to his chagrin. Glancing at him for a split second, her orbs caught a golden chain, hidden within the folds of her captain's blazer.
It was the Magical Item that even she rarely caught sight of.
When she was given the report that the wizards had an item that wielded the ability to turn back time, the Gotei 13 and the Central 46, alike for once, had their suspicions; and once it was confirmed, the former was wary but the latter was about ready to seal it off as a Forbidden Item when the report was read. However, but after taking in the report in full, the judicial branch of Soul Society relented, learning that the limit was a mere five hours. And never before had a disaster had lasted just five hours that they would need to seal off the Time-Turner. And it was not like they could extend the time.
As far as they knew.
"Taicho?" Matsumoto bowed as she looked up at her superior with a pointed look, having been ordered to do a series of odd things before she arrived in the dead of night. Pack a set of writing utensils along with parchment with enough food for the two of them for a full day, keep note of where their subordinates were at all times, and when he returned, survey the area for anyone.
Of course, only to find none.
Entering the empty office, the strawberry blonde found her captain, having just arrived back from his meeting. Unchanged from his appearance other than the scarf on his neck loosened a tad, the white-haired captain acknowledged her with a nod before he spoke.
"Matsumoto. I am going to test something." Toshiro explained vaguely as he held up a thin shard of ice. "Hold this and do not move."
Still confused, the lieutenant relented, taking the shard as her captain lifted a golden chain behind his scarf, displaying the Time-Turner that she heard so much about. Watching her captain turn the hourglass once before allowing the fragile thing to spin, the bulbs of time seemed to glint innocently when suddenly rime grew on the still-spinning hourglass, intertwining with the fragile gold.
Awed, the lieutenant looked around the office, as she saw the events of the day bypass her as if fast forwarded in a film. The two of them working on paperwork hours ago before she had snuck off and he to his meeting, their subordinates entering and exiting with messages and reports to be approved, then came that afternoon when she had finally managed to drag herself to the office, then her captain entering in the break of dawn, until the office was empty once more; leaving the two of them in silence.
With a sudden lurch, her captain faltered slightly, issuing a concerned look from her but was stopped by a gesture that he was fine before taking a moment to issue orders. "I'm fine, Matsumoto. I'll meet you at Junrinan, at the meadow that we were surveying last week. Use Kyokko to hide your reiatsu and get yourself there undetected. Make sure no one, and I mean, no one; sees you."
"Yes, sir." And with a shunpo along with a one over to assure herself that her captain was well enough to be left alone, the lieutenant followed her captain's orders to the tee, noting several things on her way to the meadow. Surveying the area, the lieutenant turned a split-second later to find her captain, murmuring soft spells as a thin shield wrapped over the meadow.
It was another string of spells before her captain stopped, pocketing the wand before seating himself beside his lieutenant who had taken one in gusto, sprawled out in the soft grass, after being ignored by her captain, prodding for answers.
"What exactly were we testing, taicho?" Matsumoto questioned as she picked up a stray daisy as the both of them set their zanpakuto beside them. "I thought you had tested the Time-Turner of it's maximum capacity."
"That is what I thought initially, Matsumoto." Toshiro relented as he pulled out the still-frozen Time-Turner. "But by accident, I have found another use for the Time-Turner."
"Another use?" The strawberry blonde rose a gorgeous eyebrow, having begun to string several daisies together, her superior oblivious as he sat with his back turned slightly to her. "Like the fact that we have gone back a day, taicho?"
"That's one." Toshiro nodded, not surprised in the least that his lieutenant was able to read that much. "Just as I have reported, magic that the wizards is nothing more than a much weaker version of Kido, only channeled through wands. The Time-Turner is no different."
"Then like the wands, the hourglass is just a medium to channel the magic?" Matsumoto concluded as her captain nodded. "What does that have to do with it being covered in ice and this thing you are testing?"
"Instead of the surroundings, this time, Matsumoto, the hourglass takes my own reiatsu to power it, making it much more powerful." The ice captain stated flatly, pulling out the pack that Matsumoto had packed for them; taking out parchment and a brush. "The Time-Turner being covered in ice is just a consequence of that."
"But I thought that you needed to place all members who would travel back under the chain for them to accompany you, taicho." Matsumoto argued, as she continued with a thin frown, tying the last flower as she noted that he had avoided the last question. "How did I follow you?"
Pointing to the shard that was now clipped to her hair, the ice captain explained, his brush moving fluidly through the parchment. "As the Time-Turner is powered by my reiatsu now, the chain is, in a way, extended to those who within a certain vicinity are able to travel back in time with me. And by possessing that shard, you are able to travel with me, Matsumoto."
"How did you discover this, taicho?" The strawberry blonde frowned, well aware that her captain was not one to make mistakes that led to discoveries.
"During my test runs with Pettigrew." Toshiro supplied flatly as the lieutenant expression grew deeper, sensing the true reasoning as to why he had sent them both back to the past a full day. If he had known this since Pettigrew, then; why hasn't he reported it to the Central 46 in his full report?
Rangiku, I don't think your captain is the type to forget these things. Haineko stated dryly, eliciting a mental roll of her mistress' eyes. I mean, Hyorinmaru and Sephiroth are there too.
Taicho withholds information from others for a number of reasons. Matsumoto replied, her pale orbs narrowed. Either this use of the Time-Turner is too dangerous that the Central 46 would revolt or at least not stand for it, or simply taicho did not know the full extent in which this use went to until recently.
In either case, Mistress, he's sharing this with you. Otherwise, you would be in the past with everyone else.
"Taicho?" The lieutenant asked softly a finished crown of daisies in her hands.
Raising an eyebrow, the ice captain turned to his lieutenant, her pale blue orbs narrowed into a glare that was almost dangerously similar to his own. Despite the flower crown that now adorned her captain's head, the lieutenant did not gush and squeal at how cute her taicho was, nor did he glare or yell at her for her free-spirited play.
Instead, the duo of the Tenth Division sat back to back, the smaller of the two explaining to the beautiful woman, that when this new use of the Time-Turner was placed into effect, he would need her help. And he was not disappointed.
He could not be. Not for her captain.
"A-A line?" Fudge echoed, the Minister of Magic so pale that the ice captain could have sworn that the wizard had seen a Dementor. "What in blazes are you talking about, my boy?"
"I suggest you address me and my superior by our titles, Cornelius Fudge. We are not pleasant enough to allow you to address us otherwise." Matsumoto snapped, her voice uncharacteristically cold as the lieutenant seated her captain in his seat, dispelling the plumes of smoke as she shunpoed behind the minister preventing him from escape. Having no way out, the minister kept his place, sweat beading down his face as he questioned the lieutenant.
"W-Who are you?"
"Rangiku Matsumoto, Lieutenant and Second-in-Command to Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya of the Tenth Division." The said woman obliged, as the said shinigami sent the wizard a look that said, you-should-turn-around-if-you-value-anything-below-your-waist.
Not one to wish castration, the minister turned.
"Do you know why I have come here, Minister?" Toshiro questioned. The minister turned to the ice captan, not seeing what others would have seen. No, this boy was no such thing. He was an experienced military leader that had manipulation, smarts, and power all in the whisper of an order, and like that; the captain was by no means scared to use it.
The minister held — kept — his tongue.
"On one afternoon, in Little Whinging, two Dementors appeared." The ice captain stated flatly, his icy voice running chills down the minister's neck as the wizard visibly froze at the words. "You, who is aware of our deal as you have displayed earlier, dared to unleash Dementors into a Muggle community to eliminate a sixteen-year-old boy, who is only guilty of spreading hearsay that Voldemort is back."
"He is not back!" Fudge stated vehemently, his bespectacled eyes dark.
"I would not interrupt my captain if I were you." Matsumoto snapped, her voice chilling.
"No matter how you deny it, Fudge; Voldemort, or the Dark Lord as you refer to him is back." The ice captain continued, as his voice steely. "And if you will deny that, I will allow you your delusion as of now, Minister. However, you dare to send Dementors out in a Muggle suburb?"
"Explain." Toshiro ordered as if speaking to a lowly prisoner.
The minister made no reply but biting his tongue as he stubbornly refused.
"So, you wish to have me pry it out of you." Toshiro smirked, making the wizard flinch and his lieutenant tense the slightest bit; the captain relaxing back against his seat. "So be it."
Fudge attempted to hold back a gasp of fear, unaware of the breath he had been holding. This boy was amused. Amused. That he was holding his tongue. The only other time that the minister had seen such cruel amusement was the chilling laughter that belonged to the Dark Lord when he murdered one after another.
Teal orbs narrowed with almost cruel mirth as the ice captain allowed his reiatsu to leak the slightest bit, pulling the three of them into a temperature lowered to near freezing, puffs of nervous breath crystalizing. Everything seemed to freeze as the ice captain seemingly resigned himself to something as a puff of cold air drifted down his pink lips.
"I have had enough of your foolishness, Cornelius Fudge." Toshiro whispered, but it was as if he had shouted, as he turned to his lieutenant, whose expression remained unchanged. "Open it, Matsumoto; our witness is not needed yet."
Taking out the pouch, the lieutenant obeyed as she and the minister turned their eyes on the unveiled Dementor in horror as it hovered over the Minister, it's greedy and decayed claws outstretched towards the minister, it's mouth open to consume his soul, the shinigami unmoved to the Minister of Magic's pleading.
The last thing the minister heard was his own voice, admitting his surrender to Dolores' proposition and sending Dementors after Harry Potter, followed by his offers to reconcile over the propositions with the East, but befell to deaf ears as Matsumoto appeared by her captain's side.
"Unlike you wizards, we have no qualms or patience for those of you who break our rules. Farewell into Soul Society, Cornelius Fudge." Toshiro chuckled as he watched with his lieutenant the Minister of the Ministry of Magic crumple into a soulless body, stilled with his expression frozen in a horrified manner. "Nor do we waste opportunities that present themselves for us."
Holding out a hand, the ice captain's fingers curled over his recording Mod-Soul Phone and a single Mod-Soul.
Harry bit back the feeling of resentment in his gut as he watched Mrs. Weasley nod and praise her youngest son for his appointment as a Prefect, not to mention Hermione was too appointed one as well. Turning aside from the celebrating, the Boy Who Lived found himself in an empty room in the House of Black, likening the silence for his thoughts.
After a short moment, Harry sighed before jumping at the sound of a large thump, green eyes looking around wildly as he raced up the stairs, joined by his godfather, Lupin, and Moody.
"What's going on?" The sixteen-year-old half-yelled in-between short breaths. "What was that?"
"I do not know, my boy." His godfather admitted helpfully as Moody growled.
"Must be the damned Boggart that Molly said she take care of. Blast!" The Auror cursed as the four of them reached the room, swinging open the door.
On the floor, Molly Weasley sobbed loudly as bodies of her family littered the floor, her resolve clearly broken as she failed to successfully dispel the Boggart's torment. The woman was clearly distraught, her eyes glistened in anguish.
"R-Riddikulus!" She tried once more, her voice trembling.
A crack, then the bodies shifted. Ron stared listlessly on the ground, skin so pale that he had to be dead. The twins were separated on either side of the room; Fred bowled over a desk, a gaping hole in his chest, George, in the same state, only thrown on a musty arm chair like a broken doll. Harry, himself, saw his body stuffed in one corner with a tortured expression frozen on his face, Mr. Weasley not too far from him, blood pooling from his severed neck.
The mother of the family cried even harder than before, Sirius and Harry too frozen to move as Lupin quickly pulled out his wand.
With a stern and commanding tone, the werewolf ordered. "Riddikulus!"
Then with a crack, the boggart was sealed into a music box, locking shut with a firm clack of Moody's cane over the lid. Scrambling over to the quieting woman, Harry quickly assisted his godfather to take her to the kitchen, where she finally regained some composure, enveloping them in silence.
"Are you alright, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry whispered as he handed her a small cup of tea as she smiled weakly at him, taking the cup under a blanketed hand.
"Yes." She whispered back, sipping the tea softly. "Thank you, Harry."
Smiling softly back, the Boy Who Lived trailed back to his thoughts earlier today. His jealousy and resentment towards Ron and Hermione seemed childish now, considering that they would yes, be busier than ever; but they were still his friends. And Mrs. Weasley clearly regarded him as one of her family as well. Here he was wallowing that he was jealous over being a Prefect, when there were more important things to be worrying over.
"I have no desire to listen how much your life is decrepit compared to everyone else. The world does not revolve around you, Potter, in case you haven't noticed." Sounded Hitsugaya's words as Harry entered his room to see Ron fussing over his trunk, smiling at his friend's antics.
Hitsugaya was right. The world did not revolve around him. And if he did not pull himself together, the world was going to leave him behind. Just like his parents were, sixteen years ago.
With a slam of the icy blue trunk, the ice captain surveyed the rest of his things before he held up a golden locket, the serpentine 'S' in small emeralds glinting the soft light, before winding the former Horcrux around his neck. The soul fragment as of now, was sealed aside for Kurotsuchi to play with as Toshiro had promised, having given the first to the Head Captain and the following to Urahara; after the Twelfth Division Captain had gotten jealous of his predecessor getting the Horcrux first.
But the ice captain had merely risen an eyebrow said, "The Head Captain had ordered to give it to Urahara before you, Kurotsuchi. If you have any complaints, take it up to Yama-jii. Not me."
Toshiro held back the smirk that threatened his lips at the frustrated silence of Kurotsuchi, before the scientist retorted with a sneer of his white and golden teeth. "Huh, you are more uptight then you appear, Hitsugaya-taicho. I never knew you were such a stickler for the rules."
"Not at all, Kurotsuchi." The ice captain shrugged before he shunpoed off.
That was one of the times that the ice captain found that he could actually be civil with the mad scientist for once. Civil, being not wanting to lop one another's head for a good hour that is. Adding Urahara to the mix, it was a miracle that the three of them had actually gotten anything done.
Shaking aside the unpleasant thoughts, the ice captain glanced at his school robes; sighing as his teal orbs glazed over his office, empty and dark, shy for the candle upon his desk, almost always like by nightfall. Matsumoto had been relived of her duties for the night, the ice captain having made the preparations for her guaranteed slacking that was sure to come for the following year. Having informed Kingsley and Mr. Weasley that he would arrive to the Hogwarts Express by his own means of travel and would rendezvous then, Toshiro held back a sigh as his thoughts traveled back to the prophecy.
'However, if the heavenly guardian were to ascend from the heavens, the Dark Lord shall rise to an even greater reign, over the heavens and world. The servant shall be slain and the heavenly guardian faced with a choice, to reap the child who shall vanquish the Dark Lord or to reap the Dark Lord into limbo for his sins.'
Master, this is not the first time we had heard of prophecies. Sephiroth reminded as the ice captain nodded, narrowing his teal orbs as he shrunk his luggage, pocketing it before he shunpoed out of his office. Locking the doors for the night, the ice captain entered his private lab, differing concoctions of potions and ingredients alike around the room, as he came to stop before a text, scanning the title. The Dark Arts: A Legal Companion
Scanning it's contents, the ice captain came upon the section that had caught his eye.
'…The Dark Arts violations are not applicable to the following Departments of the Ministry — The Department of Mysteries, Committee on Experimental Charms, Ministry of Magic Research Committee, and the Very Important Members of Section M. I. Trx….'
Department of Mysteries. Toshiro repeated as he slipped on his lab coat, hands busy as he placed six snake fangs, four servings of the Standard Ingredient to the mortar and six Billywig Stings to the cauldron, heating the slime as he grounded the rest before adding it as well. The section of the Ministry of Magic that carries out confidential research. It is so confidential that few wizards know what is located in this particular department.
Yes, Master. Sephiroth nodded as he gestured with a small sniff, Hyorinmaru listening in as the zanpakuto flew in the Inner World. The wizards that are employed in the Department are called Unspeakables.
Unspeakables? The ice captain repeated as he stirred the bleak liquid three times, clockwise before waving his wand. Pouring it and allowing it to boil in a copper cauldron, Toshiro enchanted the materials to clean themselves before nodding to the wand guardian to explain.
Unspeakables are wizards and witches as a part of their job, are forbidden from sharing any information, no matter how minuscule, of their jobs. Strict laws and penalties alike are placed upon their tasks in the Department. And within the department, there is separate divisions and I am only aware of the following: The Brain Room, The Death Chamber, The Hall of Prophecy, The Love Chamber, The Space Chamber, and the Time Room. Sephiroth explained, ushering a curious look from the captain.
How do you know of this, young one? Hyorinmaru questioned, landing in the snow. Was there perhaps, an Unspeakable that had tried…?
Nodding, the younger dragon gave his agreement, hissing darkly at the memory. Yes, elder. There was three of them who were assigned to investigate the extent of my power and had each tried to wield me with horrid consequences as to their actions.
Enough. Toshiro cut in as he entered the snowing vicinity, the ice crunching under his feet. There is no need for you to continue, Sephiroth. In the other hand, the Department of Mysteries contains the Hall of Prophecies. And there is one, in particular that I wish to hear. The first prophecy granted by Sybill Trelawney, that caused the death of the Potters and The Boy Who Lived to be where he is currently. What was the exact wording of the prophecy and was there any mention of me as the heavenly guardian for that matter?
The ice captain overlooked a small Pensieve, a memory playing in the waters as sneering face grinned at him in the moonlight, the ice dragons keeping their silence. Bespectacled with rectangular glasses, a shinigami smiled gently back at a younger Toshiro, having just been placed into captaincy as he spoke. Allowing the waters to freeze, the ice captain lingered in the darkness, as dawn broke for the arrival of his return to Hogwarts.